the view from a herefordshire garden

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Family

I have been a little absent from here lately, enjoying family occasions and planning for the future. 2012 looks set to be quite a year here at Spideracres and it began two Saturdays ago when my son married his delightful partner in Cambridge.

There were friends and family, a lovely baroque setting, a whole day and a night of celebrations, flowers and champagne, a wonderful bride made wedding cake, rose petals for throwing (carefully saved and dried since last summer) and a dance band that even had me and both of my left feet dancing.

It was a day we spent smiling and laughing, hugging and crying (a little), catching up with news, meeting old and new family members, aged from 4 days to nearly 90 years and I wouldn’t have changed a single thing about it, except I wish I could have lived it twice. Here’s wishing them all that is precious and wonderful for the future.

Well, what a splendid place is Shrewsbury! I’ve never visited before and I certainly hope that next year we will go again. Not only was the town much lovelier than I had thought , but the Folk Festival was really enjoyable, helped in no small part by a fine weekend and some warm sunshine.

The link website has pictures of the site and the bands we saw. For me, the highlights were Crooked Still and the Wailin’ Jennys but then my musical taste tends towards the New World. Rob has some superb pictures and he has promised me some of them, but in the meantime, here is a glimpse of Tudor Shrewsbury.

At Shrewsbury Castle, I spotted the sign to Laura’s Tower, and obviously had to go there.And this, with added friends and husband, is Laura’s Tower.

And from the Tower, 3 panoramas out across Shropshire. This one looks towards Wales…

…this one has Shrewsbury Abbey in the distance, where Brother Cadfael conducted his affairs. On this occasion we did not visit the Abbey. Another reason to go back again soon.

And a fine view of the River Severn , looking calmer than of late.

I love half timbered buildings, much more than the graceful stone of Bath. I think it is because I am a Midland Girl and the original vernacular architecture of wide areas of the Midlands was half timbered. Shrewsbury has a superb collection of wooden framed building surviving from the 14th 15th, 16th and 17th century, as well as later stone faced and brick buildings.These pictures are mostly taken in Fish Street and show a selection of them , all in modern usage.

We stayed in the town centre on the first and last nights of our visit and spent the Festival camping on the showground. I’m not madly keen on camping, but apart from being cold at night, it was actually OK. The stewards did a great job of keeping everything running smoothly and everyone was friendly, ensuring that a good time was had by all. I am glad to home again but thoroughly enjoyed our short break.